WATCH NXR NEW YORK WITH RUNNERSPACE +PLUS SATURDAY

Rylee Davis, a senior at Bethlehem Central in New York and a University of Massachusetts at Amherst signee who led the Eagles to their best finish in program history at the New York Federation meet Nov. 19 by placing second behind Saratoga Springs at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss their return to the same venue Nov. 26 to compete at Elm Ave A.C. at NXR New York. Bethlehem Central is seeking its first trip to the national meet Dec. 3 at Glendoveer Golf Course in Oregon since qualifying for the inaugural Nike Team Nationals and placing 13th in 2004 at Portland Meadows. Davis reflects on Bethlehem Central finishing second behind Saratoga Springs last year at NXR New York, but not having the opportunity to advance to Nike Cross Nationals after the meet was canceled for the second year in a row. She analyzes how unique the competition will be at Bowdoin Park without the presence of a full lineup for Fayetteville-Manlius, which decided not participate as a team after earning 14 consecutive trips to the national meet in Oregon. Davis also explains how valuable it has been for Bethlehem Central to compete several times against Saratoga Springs and how much she respects the consistency and depth of the Blue Streaks' program, which won NXN in 2019. She examines the preparation for Bethlehem Central to race at Bowdoin Park twice during an eight-day stretch and the confidence gained from improving by 20 seconds from last year's Federation meet to clock 19:24.2 and place 18th overall. Davis revisits her Oct. 8 performance in the Eastern States Championship race at the Manhattan Invitational and becoming the first Bethlehem Central female competitor to eclipse the 15-minute mark at Van Cortlandt Park by finishing seventh in 14:59.4. She also shares how proud she has been of the contributions this fall from Charlotte O'Meara, Olivia Deer and Sarah Guyette, as well as the veteran experience of Annie Bolke, Kate Bannigan and Anna Chrapowitzky, who all competed last year at NXR New York. Davis explains her decision to attend Massachusetts and her academic focus on an English degree, in addition to contributing to a strong athletic culture.